8 teams entered, and only 1 was left standing in this Iron-Chef Style Bot
Competition. The goal was simple: all things being equal, each team had to build
the best balloon popping robot possible within the time alloted. Teams were allowed
to use any of the tools or materials available in the Tool Library.

Competition was fierce and the teams wasted no time in weaponizing their robots.
Screws, jagged pieces of pie plate, and any sharp object at hand were used to great effect.

Once the build was complete it was time for the robots to battle in an elimination style tournament
with only one possible outcome, there could be only one bot left standing. Due to the similarities
between the builds no bot was light enough to be easily pushed out of the arena. In the end it came down to
balloon popping strategy with the most popped balloons in a given match determining the winner.
There were a few sudden-death decisions, and a moment where victory was clenched from the jaws of defeat in the final seconds of a round.

All in all about 30 people showed up for the event and it was as much fun for the adults as it was for the kids who signed up.
It is an amazing feeling watching the kids build their robots and come up with so many ways
to customize them or to make them look more deadly. Hopefully some of them will grow up to be makers themselves
and teach their children how make battle-bots. One of the really great things about the maker movement is the spirit of
co-operation and the willingness of makers to teach their craft to others.

The event was such a success it is likely that there will be more battle bot, and other maker oriented competitions in 2014!
Just follow Maker2Maker,
Toronto Tool Library, or
The Makers Nation on Twitter
to find out when and where the next event will be held.